Silence falls as Austin awaits Armstrong's 'last word'

Mea culpa? – "All that is left is for a mea culpa -- but I don't think that is ever going to come," said president of the Austin Cycling Association Gilbert Martinez.

Hide Caption

1 of 10

Armstrong's Austin legacy10 photos

Mellow Johnny's – Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop in Austin, Texas, owned by disgraced former cyclist Lance Armstrong. The store in Armstrong's hometown had become a shrine to his seven Tour de France titles, which have now been stripped following doping revelations.

Hide Caption

2 of 10

Armstrong's Austin legacy10 photos

Three and easy – Armstrong rides during the 18th stage of the 2001 Tour de France. He won the tour that year for the third consecutive time.

Fallen idol – Young Armstrong fans write messages on the ground using yellow chalk ahead of the 2009 Tour de France. He came third that year.

Hide Caption

5 of 10

Armstrong's Austin legacy10 photos

Pedal power – The Armstrong legend has helped turn Austin into a cycling-mad city.

Hide Caption

6 of 10

Armstrong's Austin legacy10 photos

Livestrong – As a cancer survivor, Armstrong testifies during a Senate hearing in 2008 on Capitol Hill. The hearing focused on finding a cure for cancer in the 21st century. Armstrong has stepped down as chairman of the Livestrong cancer charity, which he founded, as a result of the scandal.

Hide Caption

7 of 10

Armstrong's Austin legacy10 photos

Lance's longevity – Ahead of what he said would be his last Tour de France, Armstrong gears up for the start of the race in 2010. He went on to race in the 2011 tour.

Hide Caption

8 of 10

Armstrong's Austin legacy10 photos

Lance's lanes – Cyclists can ride the Lance Armstrong Bikeway through the city. Many in Austin have stood by Armstrong despite the allegations of widespread and systematic doping.

Hide Caption

9 of 10

Armstrong's Austin legacy10 photos

The winning formula – Austin recently made its debut as a Formula One venue, hosting November's United States Grand Prix. Red Bull driver Mark Webber, pictured here in 2008, and seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher both bought bikes from Mellow Johnny's.

Hide Caption

10 of 10

Story highlights

Mellow Johnny's is a cycling store co-owned by disgraced former cyclist Lance Armstrong

The store is in Armstrong hometown of Austin, Texas

Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life from cycling

Some cycling fans in Austin still stand by Armstrong despite doping allegations

Forty days alone in the wilderness was enough for Jesus, but Lance Armstrong is facing an altogether longer period of solitude.

The disgraced former cycling icon was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles 44 days ago, on October 22, and has spent most of the intervening period in his hometown of Austin, Texas.

While he contemplates his next move, there have been beneficiaries of his newfound infamy, notably Mellow Johnny's bike store.

Call it the power of celebrity or call it voyeurism, but thanks to Armstrong's notoriety, the Austin store co-owned by the disgraced cyclist, with its name inspired by the Texan's nickname on the Tour -- Mellow Johnny's, an Americanized version of the French for the leader's yellow jersey, maillot jaune -- is doing just fine.

Giant photographs of Armstrong crossing the line, arms aloft, loom over racks of bikes; a set of framed, signed yellow jerseys fills another wall; Armstrong merchandise is on offer at every turn, from cycling spandex to lemon-flavored waffles.

"It would be Lance's decision," general manager Will Black explained when asked why the memorabilia remains on display, given Armstrong's spectacular fall from grace. "If he decides he wants us to take them down, we would, but until that happens, they will stay up."

And by the look of the shop's bustle on a Monday morning, Mellow Johnny's will survive the scandal that has enveloped Armstrong.

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall 28 photos

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – After denying the allegations for years, cyclist Lance Armstrong admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs. As a result, he was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and an Olympic bronze medal. Click through the gallery for a look at his life and career.

Hide Caption

1 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong, 17, competes in the Jeep Triathlon Grand Prix in 1988. He became a professional triathlete at age 16 and joined the U.S. National Cycling Team two years later.

Hide Caption

2 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong wins the 18th stage of the Tour de France in 1995. He finished the race for the first time that year, ending in 36th place.

Hide Caption

3 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong rides at the Ikon Ride for the Roses to benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation in May 1998. He established the foundation to benefit cancer research after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996. After treatment, he was declared cancer-free in February 1997.

Hide Caption

4 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong leads his teammates during the final stage of the 1999 Tour de France.

Hide Caption

5 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong takes his honor lap on the Champs-Élysées in Paris after winning the Tour de France for the first time in 1999.

Hide Caption

6 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – After winning the 2000 Tour de France, Armstrong holds his son Luke on his shoulders.

Hide Caption

7 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong rides during the 18th stage of the 2001 Tour de France. He won the tour that year for the third consecutive time.

Hide Caption

8 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong celebrates winning the 10th stage of the Tour de France in 2001.

Hide Caption

9 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – After winning the 2001 Tour de France, Armstrong presents President George W. Bush with a U.S. Postal Service yellow jersey and a replica of the bike he used to win the race.

Hide Caption

10 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong celebrates on the podium after winning the Tour de France by 61 seconds in 2003.

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – After his sixth consecutive Tour de France win, Armstrong attends a celebration in his honor in front of the Texas State Capitol in Austin.

Hide Caption

13 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong arrives at the 2005 American Music Awards in Los Angeles with then-fiancee Sheryl Crow. The couple never made it down the aisle, splitting up the following year.

Hide Caption

14 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong holds up a paper displaying the number seven at the start of the Tour de France in 2005. He went on to win his seventh consecutive Tour de France.

Hide Caption

15 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong testifies during a Senate hearing in 2008 on Capitol Hill. The hearing focused on finding a cure for cancer in the 21st century.

Hide Caption

16 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – In 2009, Armstrong suffered a broken collarbone after falling during a race in Spain.

Hide Caption

17 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Young Armstrong fans write messages on the ground ahead of the 2009 Tour de France. He came in third place that year.

Hide Caption

18 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong launches the three-day Livestrong Global Cancer Summit in 2009 in Dublin, Ireland. The event was organized by his foundation.

Hide Caption

19 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – In May 2010, Armstrong crashes during the Amgen Tour of California. That same day, he denied allegations of doping made by former teammate Floyd Landis.

Hide Caption

20 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong looks back as he rides during the 2010 Tour de France.

Hide Caption

21 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong's son Luke; his twin daughters, Isabelle and Grace; and his 1-year-old son, Max, stand outside the Radio Shack team bus on a rest day during the 2010 Tour de France.

Hide Caption

22 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong finished 23rd in the 2010 Tour de France. He announced his retirement from the world of professional cycling in February 2011. He said he wanted to devote more time to his family and the fight against cancer.

Hide Caption

23 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – The frame of Armstrong's bike is engraved with the names of his four children at the time and the Spanish word for five, "cinco." His fifth child, Olivia, was born in October 2010.

Hide Caption

24 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong competes in the 70.3 Ironman Triathlon in Panama City, Florida, in February 2012. He went on to claim two Half Ironman triathlon titles by June of that year.

Hide Caption

25 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – Armstrong addresses participants at the Livestrong Challenge Ride on October 21, 2012, days after he stepped down as chairman of his Livestrong cancer charity.

Hide Caption

26 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – International Cycling Union President Pat McQuaid announces the decision to strip Armstrong of his seven Tour de France wins and ban him from the tournament for life on October 22, 2012. "Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling," he said.

Hide Caption

27 of 28

Photos: Lance Armstrong's rise and fall28 photos

Lance Armstrong's rise and fall – In January 2013, Armstrong speaks with Oprah Winfrey about the controversy surrounding his cycling career. He admitted, unequivocally and for the first time, that he used performance-enhancing drugs while competing.

Hide Caption

28 of 28

EXPAND GALLERY

Armstrong effigy causes outrage 2 photos

Armstrong effigy causes outrage2 photos

Up in flames – Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong is the subject of annual Bonfire Night celebrations in the British town of Edenbridge. An effigy of Armstrong will be burned during the celebrations, which mark the foiling of Guy Fawkes' "gunpowder plot" to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I in 1605. The Edenbridge Bonfire Soceity has gained a reputation for using celebrity "Guys," including Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac and Saddam Hussein.

Hide Caption

1 of 2

Armstrong effigy causes outrage2 photos

Outrage – The decision to decorate the effigy with a medal saying "Jim Fixed It For Me" has attracted criticism. The medal is a reference to deceased British broadcaster Jimmy Savile, who is now the subject of hundreds of allegations of child abuse.

Hide Caption

2 of 2

EXPAND GALLERY

"We haven't seen it in terms of the number of customers coming in," Black said. "It really hasn't had an effect in a negative way."

It is not just cycling enthusiasts that are flocking to the shop; the stars of Formula One also stopped off during the sport's first visit to Austin last month.

Armstrong steadfastly maintains his innocence. But a few blocks east of Mellow Johnny's is the yellow-hued headquarters of the Livestrong Foundation -- the charity Armstrong set up after overcoming testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain -- which has taken down his Tour race-winner's yellow jerseys.

But if the American has been written out of cycling history -- "Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling," said the International Cycling Union's president, Pat McQuaid, recently -- the cyclist's legacy at home in Austin remains deep-rooted and complex.

It was thanks to Armstrong that this laid-back city became synonymous with cycling.

Photos: Drug scandals in sports 20 photos

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez was suspended in August 2013 after he was accused of having ties to Biogenesis, a now-defunct anti-aging clinic, and taking performance-enhancing drugs. The suspension covers 211 regular-season games through the 2014 season. Rodriguez denied the accusations and said he intends to appeal. Twelve other Major League Baseball players received 50-game suspensions without pay in the Biogenesis probe, and In July, Milwaukee Brewers star outfielder Ryan Braun was suspended for the rest of the season for violating the league's drug policy.

Hide Caption

1 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – Lance Armstong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from professional cycling in October 2012 after being accused of using performance-enhancing drugs. Armstrong confessed in January 2013 to doping during his cycling career.

Hide Caption

2 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – Barry Bonds is baseball's all-time home run leader, but some commentators say there should be an asterisk by his record. Though he's said he never knowingly used steroids, two San Francisco reporters wrote a book alleging he used performance-enhancing drugs. He was indicted on charges of perjury and obstructing justice for allegedly lying to a grand jury investigating steroids, and convicted of obstruction of justice.

Hide Caption

3 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – Lyle Alzado was known as one of the most vicious lineman to ever play the game, and he chalked up more than 100 sacks and almost 1,000 tackles. Before his death from brain cancer at age 43, he told Sports Illustrated he began using steroids in 1969 and that, "On some teams between 75 and 90% of all athletes use steroids."

Hide Caption

4 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – Known as "Rocket" for his aggressive pitching style, Roger Clemens played pro ball for more than two decades, racking up seven Cy Youngs. He left Major League Baseball under a cloud of steroid allegations, despite a court finding him not guilty of perjury when he told Congress he never used the drugs.

Hide Caption

5 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Alistair Overeem is known for putting mixed martial arts star Brock Lesnar into early retirement. Ahead of a heavyweight title match against UFC champion Junior dos Santos in May, Overeem tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone and was yanked from the card.

Hide Caption

6 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – An early and chief accuser of Armstrong, Floyd Landis was himself stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He admitted doping in 2010, the same year he accused many other riders of doping as well.

Hide Caption

7 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – As the most decorated Olympian ever, with 22 medals, Michael Phelps is known as a fish in human's clothing, but for a brief period in 2009, after a photo of him smoking a bong was made public, he also was known as a pothead. Despite losing sponsors, he quickly became known for swimming again, securing six medals in the 2012 Games.

Hide Caption

8 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – Marion Jones was a world champion track and field athlete who won several titles in the 1990s and five medals during the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. After admitting in 2007 that she had taken performance-enhancing drugs, she was stripped of the gold medals and other honors won after the 2000 Games.

Hide Caption

9 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – Known as "Lights Out" after knocking out four players in a high school game, Shawne Merriman entered the NFL with fanfare, earning 2005 Rookie of the Year honors. His 2006 suspension for steroid use prompted the "Merriman Rule," prohibiting any player who tests positive for steroids from going to the Pro Bowl that year.

Hide Caption

10 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – After his former Texas Rangers teammate Jose Canseco accused him of using steroids, Rafael Palmeiro appeared before Congress to deny the allegations. Later that year, he was suspended from baseball for testing positive for steroids. He maintains to this day he has never knowingly taken performance enhancers.

Hide Caption

11 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – Few NBA players have tested positive for steroids, not only because the sport relies less on raw strength and speed than other sports but also because the league didn't begin testing until 1999. Miami Heat forward Don MacLean became the first to fail a test in 2000, and he was suspended for five games.

Hide Caption

12 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – After racking up awards in college football, Ricky Williams was picked in the first round of the pro football draft in 1999. After testing positive for marijuana in 2004 as a Miami Dolphin, Williams retired and studied holistic medicine in California. He returned to the Dolphins the following year, only to have more run-ins with the NFL drug policy. He retired again in 2011.

Hide Caption

13 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – Bill Romanowski was known for hard hits on the gridiron, but he also violently attacked teammate Marcus Williams during a scrimmage while playing for the Oakland Raiders. In a lawsuit, Williams blamed the attack on Romanowski's "roid rage." Romanowski settled the suit and in 2005 admitted to "60 Minutes" that he used steroids.

Hide Caption

14 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – Sprinter Tim Montgomery set the world record in the 100-meter dash in 2002, but the time was scratched after he was found to have used performance-enhancing drugs. Since his retirement, he has had other legal troubles including arrests for money laundering and heroin offenses. He was sentenced to jail time for both.

Hide Caption

15 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – An Olympian and renowned longball hitter, Mark McGwire spent his entire career with the Oakland A's and St. Louis Cardinals, breaking the single-season home run record in 1998. In 2010, he admitted using steroids over the course of a decade but told Bob Costas in an interview he took them only for health reasons.

Hide Caption

16 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – Ross Rebagliati won a gold medal during the first year of snowboarding at the 1988 Olympics. He was stripped of the medal after testing positive for the active ingredient in marijuana. It became fodder for late-night talk show jokes, but Rebagliati eventually got his medal back after it was determined marijuana was not a banned substance.

Hide Caption

17 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – A winner of eight Grand Slam events, Andre Agassi was considered one of the most dominant tennis players of the 1990s. In 2009, the tennis pro acknowledged in his autobiography that he had failed a drug test for methamphetamine in 1997 but skirted punishment by blaming an assistant.

Hide Caption

18 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – Regarded as the best soccer player after Pele, Diego Maradona was known for his deft footwork and knack for finding the net. In 1991, he was suspended for 15 months after testing positive for cocaine. He would later admit he was addicted to the drug for about 20 years and began using when he was playing for Barcelona in the 1980s.

Hide Caption

19 of 20

Photos: Drug scandals in sports20 photos

Drug scandals in sports – A prolific sprinter in the 1980s, Canadian Ben Johnson routinely bested American Carl Lewis in the 100-meter dash. After winning the gold at Seoul in 1988, Johnson tested positive for a steroid. His coach said Johnson took the drugs to keep up with other athletes and later wrote a book saying all top athletes were using in those days.

Hide Caption

20 of 20

EXPAND GALLERY

Photos: The world's fittest men 10 photos

Photos: The world's fittest men10 photos

1. Michael Phelps – In need of some body inspiration (or eye candy)? Men's Health magazine has identified the "100 Fittest Men of All Time." Here are the top 10, starting with swimmer Michael Phelps. At 27, the Olympian has a record 22 medals.

Hide Caption

1 of 10

Photos: The world's fittest men10 photos

2. Bruce Lee – Actor and martial arts expert Bruce Lee was a big proponent of total fitness workouts that combined strength, cardiovascular, endurance and flexibility training. His methods are still used today in programs like P90X and Insanity.

Hide Caption

2 of 10

Photos: The world's fittest men10 photos

3. Arnold Schwarzenegger – Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn't always a politician. Here he poses during the 1977 Cannes Film Festival, where he presented "Pumping Iron," a documentary about body building.

Hide Caption

3 of 10

Photos: The world's fittest men10 photos

4. Jack LaLanne – Jack LaLanne is known to many as the "godfather of fitness." He spent decades promoting healthy eating and exercise. LaLanne died in 2011 at the age of 96.

Hide Caption

4 of 10

Photos: The world's fittest men10 photos

5. Herschel Walker – Former NFL player Herschel Walker didn't slow down much when he retired from football. Since then, he's been participating in professional mixed martial arts.

Hide Caption

5 of 10

Photos: The world's fittest men10 photos

6. Jim Thorpe – Jim Thorpe competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics. His sport of choice? The pentathlon and decathlon, where he finished first in eight of the 15 events, according to Men's Health. He then went on to play professional baseball AND football.

Hide Caption

6 of 10

Photos: The world's fittest men10 photos

7. Cristiano Ronaldo – In 2008, Portugal's soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo was named the FIFA World Player of the Year. As a fan site states, "Ronaldo will take on any defender with searing pace, and mesmerising footwork to boot. His ability to beat a player and whip in crosses makes him a feared opponent."

Hide Caption

7 of 10

Photos: The world's fittest men10 photos

8. Lance Armstrong – Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong may be the most controversial on Men Health's list. The cyclist has been up against doping allegations for years. This week, Armstrong lost his multimillion-dollar deal with Nike and stepped down as chairman of the Livestrong charity foundation.

Hide Caption

8 of 10

Photos: The world's fittest men10 photos

9. Manny Pacquiao – Manny Pacquiao is often ranked as one of the world's best boxers -- and one of the highest-paid. He was the first boxer to win seven world titles in seven weight divisions, according to GQ magazine.

Hide Caption

9 of 10

Photos: The world's fittest men10 photos

10. Bjoern Daehlie – Those who have tried cross-country skiing know it is not for the faint of heart. Norway's Bjoern Daehlie earned 12 Olympic medals -- eight of them gold -- before retiring in 1999. Who else made the list? Check out all 100 on Men's Health.

Hide Caption

10 of 10

EXPAND GALLERY

Its biking culture has been strengthened by the presence of close to 50,000 University of Texas students using bikes to commute around town, the city's provision of cycling infrastructure and the popular biking trails that circle the shoreline of Town Lake on the fringes of downtown.

Few in the city disagree that Armstrong put Austin on the cycling map -- and vice versa.

"The Lance Armstrong effect is part of what gave cycling such a big boost here," said Gilbert Martinez, president of the Austin Cycling Association Gilbert Martinez.

"When he started winning the Tour, there was lots of buzz. People gathered to watch it; there were parties all round town, not just at bike shops but at bars and grills. It was a tremendous boost."

The city paid tribute to Armstrong's contribution to cycling with the creation of the Lance Armstrong Bikeway, running east to west across downtown.

There have been calls for the bikeway to be renamed, but Austin's Mayor Lee Leffingwell says he has no plans to amend this homage to Armstrong.

So as they whizz past Armstrong's name emblazoned on square, green and white signs, Austin's cyclists have a permanent reminder of his deeds -- good and bad.

"Lance is a very divisive topic," Martinez explained. "There are people who really believe he was persecuted and it's not fair what's happening to him.

Armstrong may have to pay back bonuses

Just Watched

Livestrong goes on without founder

"There is a sizeable part of the community who really don't care one way or another.

"We as people want to believe he overcame cancer and he won the most grueling bicycle race in the world, and he did it seven times in a row.

"But cycling was here before Lance got here, and it'll still be here long after we've forgotten him."

Back at the 15-year-old Livestrong Foundation charity, which has raised more than $500 million to support cancer patients, donations have increased since the allegations linking Armstrong with serial doping.

"It might be that people are learning about the work of the foundation as a result of the controversy from the cycling world," mused Livestrong spokeswoman Katherine McLane. "In which case, that is a positive effect."

Armstrong stepped down as chairman of the Livestrong Foundation in October, the same month the organization also legally changed its name from the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

McLane says it's his work with the foundation that should remain as Armstrong's lasting legacy, not the implosion of his cycling career.

"I would say that Lance's greatest legacy is creating an organization that has helped 2.5 million people when they are facing cancer," she added.

An International Cycling Union commission has been assembled to investigate the USADA's damning report into the allegations that Armstrong systematically used performance-enhancing drugs.

He could also face lawsuits from groups such as British newspaper The Sunday Times, which lost legal disputes with Armstrong surrounding doping allegations and, as a result, paid out huge sums, as well as Texan insurance firm SCA Promotions, which insured performance bonuses paid to the American after he claimed his fourth, fifth and sixth Tour de France wins.

Back in Texas, there is a little expectation of Armstrong undergoing a Damascene conversion.

"He'd already fallen off the pedestal," Martinez argued. "All that is left is for a mea culpa -- but I don't think that is ever going to come."

Halliburton is less sure.

"Whether you think Lance did drugs or not -- and it looks like he did something -- he still worked his ass off," she opined.

"I've had people come up to me and say 'I've been an athlete. and I know that performance enhancers are not going to help somebody who's not also working hard.' so he's real driven. He's a perfectionist, and he doesn't suffer fools gladly.

"The last time I talked to him, he said he's going to get the last word.

"But first and foremost, he is going to think about his family. You can't just go throwing yourself on the mercy of the public and want them to love you again.